Disappeared
by Crowly87
Summary: Dr Carson Beckett wakes up....[a few tiny crossovers in here ]
1. Chapter 1

_**Fiction Rated: **T_

**Disclaimer:** Not mine who ever owns Stargate Atlantis

**Summary:** Dr Carson Beckett wakes up...

**Spoilers:** ''Sunday''

**A/N: **Okey, so I have tried to find a beta reader for this story. But I didn't find anybody. So sorry for all the faults and stuff. I had had this story in my head for a long time since...that episode. So I had too write it down. I am currently writing another story, so sorry for the people who thought I updated that one. So here goes...My first Stargate Atlantis fanfic...be nice.

_**Disappeared **_

_«WAKE UP, DR BECKETT» _

_Carson didn't really feel like waking up, but the strange voice made him. So opening his eyes, Carson found himself looking at the Atlantis ceiling. What was he doing sleeping on the floor? He slowly sat up and then he winced cause he felt a strange kind of throbbing in his head. What was going on?_

_Then he remembered what had woken him up and he saw that a figure clad in a black-cowled rope was sitting on the floor in front of him. The person or whatever it was, was sitting in a crossed leg fashion and on his «knees» was a scythe. Carson felt a strange sense of detachment and this figure could only mean one thing. _

_Oh dear..._

_«I presume yer the angel of death?» _

_«THATS ONE OF MY NAMES YES, BUT JUST CALL ME DEATH PLEASE» Death rose up and stretched his bones. He had been sitting like that for a long time. He was not used to waiting, but this was a special case. He then picked up his scythe and brushed of some imaginary dust. He had seen humans do this all the time. _

_Looking at the skeleton, or Death as he liked to call himself, stretching and having a strange kind of way of behaving, kind of human, didn't really bother Carson. _

_Now that he was dead...He gave a sigh. _

_«Could ye help me up?» _

_Death looked down on Carson, and where usually eyes would be was a slight blue light. _

_«OH YES, SURE» Death grabbed hold of Carsons stretched out hand and helped him to his feet. _

_«So I am dead then?» Carson knew it was silly to ask, but he just had too. _

_«YES...AND ON THE SAME TIME...NO» _

_This was not the answer he had been waiting for. _

_«What do you mean by that?» He could swear it looked like Death had rolled his eyes. But since Death didn't really have eyes...he was not sure. _

_«WELL, WHAT I MEAN IS THAT YOU'RE NOT REALLY DEAD, BUT NOT REALLY ALIVE EITHER. YOU'RE BEING KEPT THIS WAY BY SOMETHING»_

_«...» _

_« THIS CITY IS KEEPING YOUR SOUL ALIVE, SO I CANT TAKE IT» _

_«What?...Atlantis is keeping me alive? What happened?»_

_«YOU HAD JUST TURNED YOUR BACK TO THE BOMB AND IT EXPLODED AND ENGULFED YOU IN ITS FLAMES» _

_«oh crap..» _

_«BUT, SOMEONE TOOK YOU'RE BODY BEFORE YOU DIED AND REPLACED IT WITH SOMEONE ELSE, IT IS NOT YOUR BODY THERE» Death took hold of Carson's shoulder and turned him around so he could see. On the ground he saw two dead people. Burned beyond recognition. There was no way he could tell who they where. Who would do that? Where is his body now?_

_«ATLANTIS SAW THAT YOU WHERE IN DANGER AND TOOK SOME PART OF YOU, WHICH KEEPS YOU HERE. ONE PART IS KEEPING YOUR BODY IN A DEEP COMA SOME WERE ELSE»_

_«Can't I just go to my body and become alive again?» _

_«YES...IF YOU CAN FIND YOUR BODY. BUT DR BECKETT, YOU CANNOT LEAVE THIS PLACE.»_

_What hope Carson had felt had quickly left. _

_«Why?» _

_«I HAVE TO GO, SINCE YOUR SOUL HAD ALREADY BEEN CLAIMED, I AM DONE HERE» _

_«But I have so many questions, please don't leave» _

_«THERE ALWAYS ARE. I AM SORRY.» Death clicked his finger and Carson saw that a magnificent white horse appeared out of nowhere and trotted towards them. Death went up on the horse and then he looked down on Carson. Was that a wink? Death clapped his heels to his horses flanks and vanished._

Carson felt empty he didn't know what to do. He took his hands up and looked at them. They where transparent. Like a ghost. He gave a shaky laugh. Should he haunt Atlantis? Could anybody else see him? Could he make things move? Should he try to communicate? Tell them that he was not dead, he had just..._disappered? _

He looked down on the bodies...he felt a pang of guilt. The other man which had just taken the bomb had died. Had Death already take him? Why was his body still alive? Who had taken his body, for what reason? And who was the other one?

He heard people coming down the corner. You're too late...

There were hundreds of people on Atlantis, yet he was all alone.

--------------------------

Watching his own funeral had been strange experience. In the two days before it. Carson had tried to contact his friends. To tell them that he was not dead. It seemed none of them saw him or heard him. Dr Biro had not done an autopsy on the body which they thought was him. Rodney had forbidden it.

He saw how hurt his friends was. It hurt him also too see them like this. Seeing Rodney close himself up again was difficult. He had been behaving like an bitter old man these days, guilt was written in his eyes. But it seemed like no one really blamed him for his behavior since everybody else was dealing with the loss in their own different ways.

John had not yet embraced that I had ''died'' his face heldt no _emotions, just blank and cold_. He went about arranging the funerals.

Teyla had taken a quick trip to visit her people. Cause she needed to be away from Atlantis.

Ronon, Carson had seen him running...

Radek and Lorne had been hanging out those days. Sitting outside and quietly talking about everything and nothing. Elizabeth was drowning herself in work.

Carson had gone about these days, looking after his friends and the people in Atlantis. He had seen what his «death» and the others who died had affected the people here. It seemed like something that had broken them. They went silently through the days. It was like everybody had turned into lifeless shelles and was drifting through the corridors.

Atlantis was supposed to be safe, was what he heard of the quiet mutters...It had taken the toll on everybody.

He was happy that he saved Watsons life but still felt the weight of the others who had lost their lifes.

It had been so quiet the days to the his funeral. Dead quiet. Pardon the pun. It had been kind of eeirly. Cause Atlantis was always filled with sound and now it was only quiet conversations and the distant sounds of waves and footsteps. It seemed people didn't want to cause a sound, cause if then, maybe something bad might happen again.

As Carson silently watched the funeral of the people who had died, he had looked at the people gathering. He saw the raw emotion of loss. He felt drained and empty. It was a nice speech Elisabeth made, she was always good with words. Then he saw his coffin being carried through the wormhole by his friends. He felt his legs move and he tried to follow them,but he felt something happening. It felt as if somebody had grasped hold of his shoulders and keeping him from moving. Atlantis did not want him too go. He kept on struggeling. He had to leave. But Atlantis held him in a strong embrace. He heard a faint voice whispering in his voice.

_"You can't leave"_

He felt a tear fall down his face of not being able to see his familiy, to say that he was not dead.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Fiction Rated: **__T_

**Disclaimer:** Not mine who ever owns Stargate Atlantis and SG-1 and so on.

**Summary:** Dr Carson Beckett wakes up...

**Spoilers:** ''Sunday''

**A/N**: I guess this will be an AU. The story continues from the ep."Sunday". The episodes after Sunday don't happen here. Someone finds out that our dear Doctor is still out there. They are not happy. (Thank you for all the reviews) Hehe…I am glad someone recognized DEATH…lol… (not that it was hard) Any who…

**On Earth – Scotland**

Chief Constable William Beckett was a kind and decent man. He was a good police officer and his qualities were what made him the Chief Constable in the first place. He had a wife and two small children. He had short dark brown hair, but the years had given him a few silver streaks. His deep brown eyes were hidden behind his glasses. He had a small brown beard that seemed to hold off the silver for the time being. He was broad shouldered man and was the tallest in his family and he was also the oldest of seven kids. His father had died when he had only been 13 years old. So he had practically been the father figured too all of his siblings, the thing his father had always said to him was: Take care of your family, protect them.

He had failed. Two weeks ago he had gotten a message that his baby brother had died. He had died saving somebody's life. That's what they had told him anyway. He had died in an explosion.

He now was in his office, going through some reports from the recent case. He heard someone knocking at his door and yelled come in. It was one of the Lab rats he had hired a few months ago. He was very young for his profession but he was brilliant. He was holding a folder in his hands.

"I finished the test on the two samples you gave me, Boss"

"Thank you, Greg" He replied as Greg handed him the files and went out of the office.

Being the police officer he was he had told one of his employers to take a DNA sample of the remains of his little brother. Then he had given them another DNA sample to compare them. He had now gotten the results back. Opening the folder he read it through. He snapped it shut. Mixed emotions where going through his head. But the one that was strongest was anger. The results he read, where not what he had expected.

He had friends all over the place. He had served with a man in the military a long time ago. He had recommended his brother to the new program in America a few years ago that his friend had been a leader of. He regretted that now. He picked up the phone and he dialled the number he kept in his desk.

"Hello" Said a tired voice at the end of the line.

"Hello Jack,"

* * *

**Pegasus Galaxy**** – Atlantis**

Some days later, Carson was walking towards Rodney who was standing on the end of a pier at the edge of Atlantis, gazing out over the ocean. Before they had returned from Earth, Carson had been following people around trying to contact them. But all his attempts had failed. No body heard him, saw him; he was gone in their eyes.

After hearing the faint whisper in his ear a few days ago, he had tried to communicate with the city. He had tried to convince the city to let him communicate with his friends through the systems. But the faint voice once again spoke. The city wasn't sure how to do that.

Carson was angry when the city revealed this. He had been standing in the corridor when he had been arguing with the city. He had felt a huge surge of anger and hopelessness and had slammed his fist against a door at his side. He didn't feel the pain. Angry he had walked away and his feet had lead him outside. What Carson had not seen, was the puzzled expression on a scientist face when he had opened the door to see who had banged on it.

Carson walked over to stand by Rodney's side.

Carson knew that Rodney would not hear him. But he pretended that he could anyway.

«How'd it go back on Earth?» Carson said as he looked at Rodney. Not expecting a reply back Carson begun to lower himself too the ground. But when Rodney replied he quickly stood up just as Rodney turned towards him and smiled.

«It was, um, it was awful. Your family was amazing, though.»

Carson was so shocked that Rodney could see him, the only thing he could do was smile. Not sure what too say he says the only thing that comes to mind. He is happy that after so many days of begin alone somebody can see him and he has somebody to talk too.

«Aye, they are. Good turnout?»

Rodney looked out over the ocean again. «Oh, packed the church»

«Oh, that's good to hear!»

«It's not going to be the same round here without you.» I am still here Carson thinks but instead of saying that he says something completely different.

«Oh, you're tellin' me!»

«You know, the universe is a big place.» Rodney looks at Carson «Who knows, maybe we'll bump into each other again.» I am not dead Rodney. Carson can't get himself to say it.

« Aye, who knows?»

Rodney looked away; Carson saw that he was on the verge of tears. He wanted to comfort his friend. But he knew his hand would only pass through Rodney if he tried to pat him on the shoulder.

«You were the closest thing to a best friend I ever had. I'm really, really sorry.» Rodney gave Carson a wistful look. For some reason he only feels empty now as he is listening. If Rodney had said this to him before...he would probably have blushed. But he could only manage to give him a small smile. «I should have just ...»

Quickly stopping him before he said it, Carson interrupted. «Hey. This isn't your fault.»

«You're just telling me what I wanna hear.»

«Well, that's what best friends do sometimes. And in this case it also happens to be true.» Carson gives his friend a smile and says something he had wanted to say since he disappeared. He sees how tired he is. You must, «Take care of yourself, Rodney.»

Rodney raised his hand to him and with a soft voice that people rarely hear from McKay.

«Goodbye, Carson.»

Carson could not help it, finally somebody was able too see him, he gives Rodney a smile. About to tell him that he isn't dead. But then suddenly he feels a strange breeze brush over him and he feels himself fade out of existence.

Rodney stands alone at the end of the pier.

* * *

A cry of outraged erupted from Carson as he reappeared in the medical bay.

«Why did you do that for?» He yelled.

_«It wasn't me Carson» _The voice of Atlantis whispered.

«Then who was it? »

_«I don't know» _

He finally gotten to speak to somebody and he had been so stupid to not tell them about his situation. He had been so happy to speak to Rodney that he had completely forgotten about everything. Rodney thought he had imaged him...and he had said goodbye.

Dropping to his knees he banged the floor with his fist in frustration. Damn it! He felt his eyes water. He looked down on the ground and saw a tear fall. But as he lay there he remembered. He felt a surge of hope run through. If Rodney had seen him, talked to him, maybe it could happen again.

He slowly raised himself of the ground and begun walking towards the pier again. But when he arrived Rodney had left. With a sigh he turned around and walked towards the gate room. Then he heard the alarms of the Stargate.

* * *

**Two hours before - On Earth – Stargate Command.**

Sitting around in the briefing room is General Landry with the members of SG-1. They are waiting for three members of the representatives of Britain. They had called a meeting. They had sounded extremely angry and had wanted to talk too them right away. So they where surprised when there was more than three people walking in the door. But most of all they were surprised that former SG-1 member Brigadier General Jack O'Neill walked inn the door with The British Ambassador and following him was five other people. Jack gave a sloppy salute too General Landry and a grim smile too the rest of his friends.

Jack stood besides a man that seemed to just as old as Jack maybe a bit younger. The British Ambassador introduced the four people that were with him; apparently the last man was with Jack. It was the representatives of Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

Jack put his shoulder on the man besides him. "And this is my old friend. Chief Constable William Beckett"

"Are you related to late deceased Dr Carson Beckett?" General Landry asked. He saw the expression on the man's face harden. Before the man could reply Jack did.

"Yes this is his older brother. Dr Beckett is the reason why we have these fine people here." Jack said as he felt William tense under his hand as the General Landry had said his brother's name. William was a very angry man. He had a folder in his hand. So when suddenly he slammed it on the table making everybody around it jump in shock. He didn't shout it was worse than shouting. It was a harsh kind of tone which suggested if you did not tell him everything he wanted, he would make you wish you did, and that it was a great idea not to get this man more angry than he was.

"Is this some kind of sick joke? What have you done with my little brother? "


	3. Chapter 3

**Fiction Rated:** T

**Disclaimer:** Not mine who ever owns Stargate Atlantis and SG-1 and so on.

**Summary:** Dr Carson Beckett wakes up...

**Spoilers:** ''Sunday''

**A/N:** I wrote this fanfic because I could not get it out of my head. I have two other Carson centric stories that I also want to submit. But I will have to write this finished first. I have so many plot bunnies after me…hehe. This is now an AU, if that's what you call it. The story continues from the ep."Sunday". The episodes after Sunday don't happen here. Sorry not the most exciting chapter. ) I am glad people like my story. ) It was just not right killing off Carson. Thanks for all the reviews, makes me a happy camper.

Chief Constable William Beckett is going to Atlantis.

* * *

A few months ago:

William Beckett was on his way to his mother. He had planned for a surprise visit. But he was a little bit surprised when he saw a big black car parked in front of the garage. He gave the car a look as he parked besides it. He pulled the keys out of the ignition and stepped out of the car. Usually he would just walk into the house without knocking but since his mother had a guest over, he knocked.

Instead of his mother's smiling face opening the door it had been his little brother. It seemed his little brother was equally surprised. He gave a small smile.

"Carson?"

"Billy," He said with a nod then he stepped out of the door way so he could go inside. Hearing his Old Nick name made him snap out of his trance. He walked past him briskly.

"Don't call me that" He said annoyed. Carson rolled his eyes then he closed the door and followed.

"Where is mum?" William said as he reached inside his pocket and retrieved his cigarettes. He then put one of them in his mouth and searched his pockets again for a lighter.

"She went down to the flower shop she said she needed some petunias for her garden"

"Hmm..."

"I thought you quit smoking" William gave him a humourless grin, and then he located a pair of matches on the dining room table.

"I never stopped, just took a break"

"So how is the military life treating you brother?" He said as he lit his cigarette.

"Oh it's all right" Carson said suddenly sounding tired.

"Care to tell me about it?" William said as he heard the change of tone in his brother's voice.

"You of all people should know I can't do that." Carson said with a sigh.

"Oh it's classified" William Beckett said with a sarcastic sing-song voice.

Yes he knew both from his time in the military too his carrier in the police that. But he saw that whatever Carson did for the military it had changed him. Something bad had happened while he was working with the United States government. William did not like it. His little brother had looked older and weary. He had seen something that had broke in his eyes, which was not right. William and his brothers had always looked out for Carson when they had been younger. Always made sure he was alright. He had such innocent about the world, such a gentle and caring soul. No one in the family had been surprised when he had told them that he wanted to be a doctor. He always loved to help people and he hurt when their father had died. He never got to know him.

He knew that it had been cancer. So Carson had told their mum when he was a wee lad that he was going to find a cure.

He gave his brother a searching look.

"Don't do that" Carson said with an accusing tone.

"What?"

"Don't look at me as if I am a criminal, I am not a man about to be interrogated. I am your brother"

"I only want to know what have happened too you. What has happened? "

"Nothing"

"Nothing? Are you a bloody idiot? I work in the police force. I know when somebody is lying. Someone has hurt you. Something has hurt you. I don't know what. But I think you should stop working for the military. You're not going back!"

"I am not going back? That's ridiculous of course I am. I am a grown man William. I am not a wee lad anymore. I will go back in a few weeks. They need me there."

Carson gave an outraged laugh as he said this; William almost didn't hear the last part as his voice had almost turned to a whisper.

"They need you there? What for? You're just a doctor!"

"That's right, I am just a doctor. I have friends there. That's why I have to go back; I have to take care of them. They get hurt too often on their missions"

"You idiot, you going to die if your not careful" William had taken his hand on Carson's shoulder when he said this.

* * *

Present time:

Chief Constable Beckett gave a tired sigh as he remembered that night. It had ended up that he had stormed out of the house in anger. It had been the last time he had talked with his brother. It had made his heart ache. That the last words his little brother had heard from him was in anger. Now he was standing in the conference room looking at the people around the table for an answer.

The words had come out as a hiss and his accented probably made the words harder to understand. But the tone made it clear that he wanted answers.

"I am sorry to inform you Chief Constable that you brother died several days ago. Did you not get the message?" Colonel Cameron Mitchell said before he saw Jack's frantic hand gestures of shut-the-hell-up.

"I am not sure who died but it was not my brother who came back in that coffin and I want to know what you have done with him. I have not told my family about this huge mistake that you have done. I don't want them to get their hops up. Nor have I told the press, which I can easily do. Where is he?" Chief Constable Beckett looked at General Landry waiting for an answer.

"Why are you so sure that it was not your brother?" General Landry asked as he wondered why no one had done a full autopsy on the recovered bodies.

"My lab did a test on a sample taken from what remained on the "body" of the deceased. I gave them a sample of my brothers DNA. I said they where to compare it. The samples where identical, expect for one thing. That the body you brought back was not human. Don't worry Jack has told me everything about this "Stargate" business of yours. I know everything about it and the Pegasus Galaxy. This Atlantis is where my brother last was seen. Anyway...Whoever died in this explosion was not Carson. He is still alive somewhere out there"

The people around the conference table where silent.

Colonel Samantha Carter looked at the other Beckett. She saw that he looked a lot like Dr Beckett but it seemed that was the only similarity. He was older and it seemed like he did not tolerate mistakes and while she remembered that Dr Beckett always seemed to have a smile on his face. This one had a stern expression and didn't seem like he smiled that much. She had been sad when she had heard the news about Dr Beckett's death. It had reminded her about Janet. She knew what the other people in Atlantis where going through.

"Can I see the folder please?" She asked Chief Constable Beckett. He gave her a stern look but handed her the folder.

"Oh dear, this is Wraith DNA. We must tell the people on Atlantis right away."

"That's what I thought as well. I will send a team to investigate the disappearance of Dr Carson Beckett. Gods knows how long he has been gone. If there was a creature walking around looking like him"

"I will be joining this team and I will have my people on it" Chief Constable Beckett said as he stood up from the table.

"Fine, But I want to let Dr Weir know of this. You have your guys be ready in half an hour,"

Chief Constable Beckett only gave a nod and walked out of the room. Jack gave them a what-ya-gonna-do shrug and ran after him.

* * *

An hour and a half later:

They where standing in gate room at Stargate Command. Standing behind William was his own team from Scotland. In front was the team General Landry had assigned him, they would be helping in the search.

William saw the Gate get activated and the sirens as the "cheverons?" was called out. He knew he should be more exited but he could not. His mind was occupied by where his brother might be.

They walked up the ramp and he turned before he walked through. He saw Jack behind the big mirror. He gave a lazy salute and a small grin. He gave him a lazy salute back and walked through the gooey water.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Fiction Rated: **__T_

**Disclaimer:** Not mine; who ever owns Stargate Atlantis

**Summary:** Dr Carson Beckett wakes up... and discovers he is alone.

**Spoilers:** ''Sunday''

**A/N: **This continues from the ep:"Sunday". The episodes after Sunday don't happen in this fic. Constable William Beckett arrives in Atlantis. He is a man so similar to Carson in appearance, but completely different. The people in Atlantis get interrogated by an angry Scottish police officer.

Thanks too twinchaosblade for beta reading this chapter. )

* * *

The Other Beckett

Standing in the control room were all of his friends. Carson wasn't sure what this was about but it seemed to be serious since Stargate Command usually didn't use the Stargate unless it was of out-most importance. Usually everything was delivered by the Daedalus.

He was standing besides Rodney. He had tried talking to him again, but what ever had made him able to talk to him had ended now. Rodney could not see nor hear him. But when Carson had accidentally walked through him, he had seen Rodney shiver. So he still held some hope.

He saw that Elisabeth had a neutral expression on her face. That was never a good sign. All Carson knew was that somebody important was coming to Atlantis.

So, when suddenly his older brother walked through the blue horizon, he was shocked. His friends were equally as shocked. He heard Elisabeth's intake of breath; he saw John's eyes harden and how Rodney was only staring with shock at his older brother. William and Carson Beckett were very similar in appearance. But that was the only thing they had in common. William looked like an older version of Carson. His hair had silver streaks and he had a short beard. His glasses, which sometimes make people appear softer, made him look like a stern teacher. He was wearing civilian clothes, the only thing making it clear he was not was the badge he had on his belt. Behind him were three people. They were looking with amazement around the gate room.

Chief Constable William Beckett didn't. He walked towards Dr Weir and his friends. Carson wasn't sure what he should feel. It had been a long time since he had seen his brother. He was happy but also sad. When he was standing in front of his friends, he gave a curt nod to John. Carson saw that William looked much older than the last time he had seen him, there were stress lines which had not been there before. His hair had more grey. He looked so old and weary.

Carson walked closer to his brother. He lowered his hand so it was itches from his brother's shoulder. He wanted to say sorry, he never wanted to hurt his brother. Even if they never had never been on the best of terms since that night.

"I am Chief Constable William Beckett. As you already may have guessed, I am Dr Beckett's older brother. I have come here with urgent news. Is there somewhere private we can talk?" His tone was emotionless and professional.

"Welcome to Atlantis, Constable. Sure, follow me." Elisabeth had a similar tone but it was more polite than emotionless. She made a gesture for him to follow her up the stairs. William turned towards the three people he had brought with him. Then he turned around and walked so fast that Carson could not remove his hand fast enough, so his transparent hand went right through William's shoulder as he walked past.

William stumbled and gasped in pain, his right hand reached up grabbing his shoulder as if to try and make the pain go away. William had felt as if an icicle had pierced his skin. Bewildered he looked around but there was nothing there. A young man who had come through the gate with William hurried over.

"Boss, are you alright?" He had reached out a hand to help but stopped when he saw the look his boss gave him.

"Constable?" William turned towards Elisabeth. He saw she had a worried expression.

"Sorry, old wound," William said. He felt the pain slowly fade away. He rubbed his shoulder. Well, that was weird. His shoulder was still stinging but he raised his hand anyway and gestured for his team to follow him up the stairs, walking past the bewildered Elisabeth and following Rodney, who had not witnessed the strange event. Elisabeth shook her head and followed.

William was nowhere as shocked as his little brother had been. Carson felt sick that his touch had hurt his brother. He looked at his hands, they were shaking. Why did it hurt his brother when he had touched him? He had touched many people, the only reaction had been people shivering or not reacting at all.

He didn't know how long he had stood there but he snapped out of it when one of his brother's employees walked through him. It was very unnerving, so he stepped aside. He saw the retreating form shudder and rub his shoulders. He followed him up to the conference room.

* * *

Sitting on one side of the conference table were Elisabeth, Rodney and John, on the other side was his brother's team. Yet his brother was still standing.

"General Landry told me you would be coming, Constable Beckett, but he said that you rather tell us why yourself," Elisabeth started.

"Let me first introduce my team here." He pointed at the young man with sandy blonde hair, "This is DNA specialist Greg Sanders." The young man gave a nod to the group. "Sitting next to him is Doctor Edward Smith." A man in his late thirties only tilted his head in acknowledgment. "And this is Sergeant Jay Turner." The woman at the end gave a small wave. His brother gestured for Doctor Smith to give him something.

"The reason why I am here is because you are the last people to have seen my brother alive." He gave them a glance as he said this.

"What are you talking about? Carson… Carson died. He died in that horrible accident," Elisabeth said as she looked at Constable Beckett in disbelief over what she was hearing clear in his voice.

"I don't deny that someone died in that explosion, but it was not my brother. When I first received the news of my brother demise I was suspicious of the whole thing especially since you had not done an autopsy. I did not believe my brother was dead. I have had experience in many cases were people have been mistaken for others. So I did some investigating. I made them send the remains of my ''brother'' to the doctor here." William patted Doctor Smith on the shoulder.

"He did a full autopsy on what remained of the body you sent back to Earth. He then sent some DNA samples for Greg to compare them with the old samples I had given him. When I got the results back, I was gutted because the samples were so identical, I thought at first that it was my brother but then there was one small difference. The body contained some strange genes that clearly were not human."

This made Rodney sit up so rapidly, it made John, who was sitting beside him, jump a bit.

"No! This is ridiculous. He died. I am truly sorry that he did. But Carson died. We…" Rodney's voice cracked but he continued. "We heard his voice on the radio, right before... it happened."

William Beckett had enough. He turned his eyes on Rodney and slammed the folder he had in his hands on the table right in front of the scientist.

"No, Doctor McKay, he is still alive. God knows where, but he is."

"But… I said goodbye." It was so softly spoken that the occupants in the room almost didn't hear him. John gave Rodney a concerned look.

"Let me see that!" John said. William picked up the folder and held it out for him. John took it out of his grip and began to read the contents.

"This is Wraith DNA!" That made Rodney look up.

"What?"

"Wraith?" Doctor Smith asked. Rodney ignored him, he snatched the folder out of John's hands. Then he stood up and began to pace the room as he was reading. It seemed like he read a part over and over, like he was unable to believe it.

"This, how is this possible?!" They heard him mutter.

"You're saying Carson was part Wraith?" Elisabeth asked shocked.

"No, I mean yes… I am not sure. It says clearly that whoever died was part Wraith," Rodney yelled almost outraged.

"He is right; it can't be Carson who died. It must be some kind of replica." John said.

"How do we know it wasn't Carson? He was held captive by Michael for a long time. He could have done anything to him. He never really told us everything that happened on that planet." Rodney seemed like he wasn't sure what to believe as he said it. He was waving his hands all over the place as he usually did when he was panicked.

"You think it might be a clone that died? That's… is that possible?" Elisabeth inquired, There was a hopeful tone to her voice.

William Beckett had been quiet for a while but when he heard what Rodney said, he turned his attention on John.

"Who is this Michael?"

Before John could reply all the lights in the room dimmed and suddenly turned itself off.

* * *

Carson was sitting up on the conference table, mere inches from Rodney. He had been listening to everything that had been said. He would have shuddered any other time if Rodney would have had mentioned Michael. But he only felt empty.

He knew that Michael had to be behind this, even though he rather not think about what the ex-Wraith might be doing to his unconscious body. Of all the people to find out that he was not dead, Carson really didn't think it would have been his own big brother. But he was happy in a sense that it had been him.

He almost jumped up in surprise when he felt Atlantis speak to him.

"_Carson?"_ The city spoke.

"Aye," he replied with a tired voice.

"_I have found a way for you to communicate with your friends." _A smiled spread its way across Carson's face as he heard this.

"Really? How?" He could not keep the joy out of his voice.

"_I found sparks and windows open for you to step through. There are small broken rifts between the living world and this one. You already have experienced several of them. When you spoke to your friend, you stood in one of the bigger ones without realising it. These rifts don't last long, when you step through one of them, you will feel when they begin to fade and change."_

"How is it possible that I can do this? How do I see them?"

"_Your soul is wandering; this is why you can step through. You can't see them yet. But I can show you how to see them."_

Suddenly the lights in the conference room dimmed and turned off.

"Did you d-" Carson spoke but before he got to finish his sentence, he saw what appeared to be small cuts and holes in mid air. They had a soft white glow to them. They were constantly changing.

He barely heard the surprised voices of his brother and his friends. Carson stepped up to one of the small cuts. It looked big enough to stick his hand through, so Carson did. It felt strange, like warmth was spreading itself up his arm.

The lights returned in the room.

His hand looked solid instead of transparent like the rest of his body.

He heard a scream and looked up. Everybody in the room was looking at him, no, Carson corrected himself. They were looking at a floating hand.

Carson smiled, he wiggled his fingers, and he saw Rodney wince at his actions.

"Bloody hell." This was his brother, who had slowly begun to walk towards him.

Carson was caught up in the moment, he moved his arm up and down. He laughed. This was ridiculous. Then he felt it. This cut or rift was closing. He looked at his now fading hand. He waved goodbye to his brother and friends and then the rift closed.

Well, that was different, Carson thought. He had to try that again. He felt like laughing again. But he didn't. He didn't even think about trying to communicate with his friends this time. It seemed like the rifts were affecting his judgment.

He looked down on his hand. It had now returned to looking like the rest of his body. Transparent like a bloody ghost, he sighed.


End file.
